Red Wines    Syrah/Shiraz    McLaren Vale    Australia   
Wine.com - Buy wines, wine clubs, gift baskets and more
My Rating (circle) :
Date Printed: 1/6/2009
Click for larger view
(search item no. 91390)
screw cap wine
James Halliday rating: 94 points
The Wine Advocate rating: 92 points
PRICE ON 1/6/2009: $26.99

ratings pedigree (past vintages):
2005 James Halliday rating: 94 points
2005 The Wine Advocate rating: 93 points
2004 James Halliday rating: 95 points
2004 The Wine Advocate rating: 92 points
2004 Wine & Spirits rating: 92 points
2003 Wine Spectator rating: 91 points
2003 Wine Enthusiast rating: 91 points
2003 The Wine Advocate rating: 90 points
2002 The Wine Advocate rating: 93 points
2002 Wine & Spirits rating: 93 points
2001 The Wine Advocate rating: 93 points
2001 Wine Spectator rating: 91 points
1999 The Wine Advocate rating: 94 points

Winemaker's Notes:

 The vineyards and bushland that surround the d'Arenberg winery are home to a unique native Australian bird, the Kookaburra, famous for its distinctive laughing call. Winemaker Chester Osborn's daughters named their two wild pet Kookaburras the "Laughing Magpies." The Magpie plumage is black with a stripe of white feathers and bears no resemblance to its famous cousin, but the name has stuck as it is the perfect choice for McLaren Vale's first ever Shiraz (black)/ Viognier (white) blend.

The wine has a dark, saturated appearance with a violet-crimson hue. Maraschino cherries, spiced fruit peel, ginger and apricot stones are apparent on the nose, with black tea, olive and tarry notes appearing as the wine opens up. The palate is soft and generous, showing juicy flavors of blueberries, ribena, cherries and dark chocolate. Tea-like tannins are abundant and combine with defined acidity to provide structure and length. The long, refined finish reveals this wine's aging potential.

"Rich, velvety, luscious fruit flavours saying more about McLaren Vale than viognier; chocolate rather than apricot; however, no niggles about the wine."
-James Halliday

"The 2006 The Laughing Magpie is composed of 94% Shiraz and 6% Viognier. Deep crimson/violet in color, it offers up notes of cherry, ginger, black tea, tar, and blueberry. Medium to full-bodied, layered flavors of cherry, blueberry, and dark chocolate make an appearance accompanied by ripe tannin and excellent concentration leading to a long, refined finish. It will benefit from 3-4 years of cellaring and drink well through 2020."
-Wine Advocate
My Notes:

Additional wines from d'Arenberg:

About d'Arenberg:

 d'Arenberg is one of the most significant wineries in McLaren Vale. In 1912 Joseph Osborn, a teetotaler and director of Thomas Hardy and Sons, purchased the well established Milton Vineyards in the hills just north of the townships of Gloucester and Bellevue, now just known as McLaren Vale.

In 1943 Frank's son Francis d'Arenberg, universally known as 'd'Arry' returned from school, age 16, to help his ill father run the business, eventually assuming full management of d'Arenberg in 1957. d'Arry bottled the first of the famous diagonal red stripe labeled wines the following year.

Enter the fourth generation, d'Arry's son Chester d'Arenberg Osborn. After graduating from Roseworthy College and touring other Australia and European wine regions Chester took over the reigns as Chief Winemaker in 1984 and immediately set about rejuvenating the 70 year old Cellars and l9th Century Vineyards. Investing in new oak refrigeration and lots of small stainless steel tanks resulted in immediate white dividends with his Dry Dam Riesling, Dryland Sauvignon Blanc, Olive Grove Chardonnay and Botrytis affected Noble Riesling all winning gold medals and trophies at wine shows.

In 1990 Chester was crowned McLaren Vale Bushing King for producing the best table wine in the district judged at the McLaren Vale Wine Show.

d'Arenberg's property was recently renovated incorporating cellar door tastings and a restaurant, appropriately named 'd'Arry's Verandah' overlooking McLaren Vale and the Willunga escarpment falling into the Gulf of St Vincent.